Holy water fount



June 1956 J. A. SCHARENBROICH 2,748,994

HOLY WATER FOUNT Filed March 22, 1954 JfAO Vf Scams/venom MM 9 m4 Arzvzwyy HOLY WATER FOUNT Jerome A. Scharenbroich, St. Cloud, Minn.

Application March 22, 1954, Serial No. 417,770

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-443) This invention relates to holy water founts or the like which have a reservoir for holding only a small amount of the liquid to be dispensed and which employ a small dipwell for receiving from the reservoir.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple, attractive and efiicient fount particularly adapted for holding and dispensing in very limited quantities, holy water in the home, and employing a small dipwell cooperatively related with a simple valve that is operated by a nudge by the finger when the finger is dipped in the Well.

A further object is the provision of a holy water fount in the shape of a crucifix wherein the design and structure of the crucifix itself is utilized as a reservoir and wherein provision is made for dipping and immersing the fingers in a well with substantially no loss of the holy water through evaporation.

More specifically, it is an object to provide in a holy water fount of the class described, a small dipwell supported from and secured to the reservoir portion of the device and receiving therefrom through a finger-actuated valve of simplified and eflicient type, the actuation of which is controlled in the normal dipping operation of the fingers.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. l is a front elevation of an embodiment of my invention with some portions broken away and others shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of another form of the invention wherein the capacity or" the reservoir is increased.

My improved fount is preferably constructed, for the most part, of relatively unbreakable material such as transparent plastic having a good rigidity. The reservoir or body of the fount is constructed in the form of a hollow cross with a front wall 4, a rear wall 5 and side walls 6 and 7 and a closed bottom 8. The walls of course may be integrally formed or the front and side walls may be integrally formed as a shell and the rear wall 5 attached thereto. The top of the body or figure is open and is adapted to receive a closure plug 9 which has a diminished, squared portion snugly fitting the interior of the cross section of the upper end of the body. The rear wall 5 is preferably extended upwardly to form an attachment tongue 5a which may be apertured to facilitate hanging of the body from a suitable pin or support.

Rigidly attached to the lower end at the front of the cross is a small, semi-ovoid shaped dipwell 10 open at its upper edge and having a threaded passage 10a therein for receiving the threaded portion of a conventional pneumatic tire valve 11. Valve 11 has the conventional spring pressed stem 11a which protrudes some distance outwardly atent Q 7 2,748,994 Patented June 5, 1956 into the confines of the dipwell 10, the valve in conventional manner ordinarily being maintained in closed position by action of an internal coil spring, not shown.

The threaded passage '10:: connects with a horizontal bore through the enlarged boss 4a near the lower end of the interior of the crucifix body.

I provide a small valve-actuating arm 12 which is preferably harmoniously curved in shape and is hinged on a pintle 12:: at its upper end to suitable ears 12b integrally molded or otherwise secured to the front 4 of the body, just above the dipwell. Arm 12a lightly contacts the outer extremity of valve stem 11a.

The construction of the form of the invention in Fig. 3 insofar as the dipwell and the valve and the valve-actuating arm, is identical with that of the form previously described. The reservoir or body of the fount however, is of general cross shape but enlarged in the medial portion surrounding the cross and is hollow throughout to provide a reservoir of increased capacity.

In the use of my holy water fount, the reservoir constituting the hollow body of the crucifix may be filled with holy water blessed by a priest and the closure plug 9 then applied to the open, upper end for sealing the contents of the body. When it is desired to utilize my structure, a person dips his fingers into the dipwell 10 in customary manner, thereby necessarily pushing inwardly or nudging the valve-actuating arm which depresses the valve stem 11a, opening the discharge passage in the valve housing and causing a small quantity, usually only twenty or thirty drops of water, to flow into the dipwell and against the fingers of the user.

The moment the fingers are removed from the dipwell, the valve closes and little, if any, holy water is left in the dipwell. Thus, the holy water is not subject to evaporation as in most founts, even those when an inverted container and barometric seal principle is utilized.

The transparency of the crucifix body and the dipwell lends attractiveness to the overall appearance and further, enables the user to readily observe the extent to which the reservoir is filled with holy water.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that l have provided a very simple, attractive and highly efiicient fount, particularly well adapted for holding and dispensing, in limited quantities, holy water in the home.

It will of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A fount particularly adapted for dispensing small quantities of holy Water comprising an upright container body having a filling opening at the upper end thereof, a closure for sealing off said filling opening, a small open well at the lower end of said reservoir having a concavely upwardly, sharply rounded interior surface for concentrating small quantities of holy water into an area of small compass to thereby minimize the evaporation of the holy water, a short passage communicating between the interior of said body and said well, a small valve mounted in said passage and normally resiliently urged to closed position and having an outwardly projecting valve stem, said valve substantially filling said passage to minimize the quantity of water standing therein which is exposed to the air, and a valve actuating member mounted for shifting movement and normally engaged against the extremities of said valve stem with a portion disposed in said well, whereby when said portion is urged or pressed inwardly, the valve will be opened to permit a flow of holy water into said well.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 and said valve actuating member comprising a depending arm having an upper end pivotally moutned above said valve and having a lower end extending into contact with the extremity of said valve stem and extending in close proximity with an upstanding side wall portion of said well to provide easy access to the rounded interior surface of the well 01- wetting a persons fingers in the minute quantity of water therein when the back of the hand nudges the valve actuating arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Horwart 0 July 21, 1903 Hubbard Dec. 25, 1917 Ferris Feb. 10, 1920 Turner June 26, 1928 Peterson Dec. 19, 1950 

